The Little Mermaid (2023) is uneven. The romance is more earned and Eric is more fleshed out, but that doesn't justify the extra fifty minutes of runtime (nearly doubling its predecessor). The passive sexism is softened yet the story still has vague morals, pushing underdeveloped themes of listening and prejudice. There's blunt dialogue, one-dimensional characters, unclear fairytale elements, sudden arcs, obvious exposition, and consistent plagiarism of the original. The acting of Bailey, Diggs, and McCarthy adds needed personality to an otherwise monotonous process. Overall, The Little Mermaid has moments of sincere emotion, but they're muted by a dull and formulaic script.
Technically, The Little Mermaid is bland. Its cast is skilled, diverse, and intriguing. The sound captures magic, action, and sea components. Beyond that, the film is lacking. Its music has copied classics, undermotivated new songs, and generic scoring. The unimaginative production design terribly translates the expressive cartoon. Its inconsistent effects have distracting CGI and awkward underwater motion. The ugly imagery offers drab colors, clumsy movement, and muddled composition. Still, its editing is the biggest flaw because its momentum is boring. Ultimately, The Little Mermaid surrounds a concise plot and capable performances with weak tones, uninspired craft, and pointless bloat.
Writing: 5/10
Direction: 4/10
Cinematography: 5/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 4/10
Sound: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Production Design: 6/10
Casting: 8/10
Effects: 5/10
Overall Score: 5.6/10
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